Brush mounting for vacuum cleaners



Nov. 23 1926.

w. L. KEEFER BRUSH MOUNTING FOR-VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Jun@ 1.8 1925 Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

WALTER L. KEEFER, OF'CHAMBERSBURG, PENN SYLVANIA.

BRUSH MOUN TING FOR VACUUM CLEANERS,

Application filed June. 18, 1925. Serial. No. 38,040.

My invention relates to improvements in vacuum cleaners and has reference more particularly to those in which a rotary brush is mounted in a horizontally elongatedsuclion nozzle and is driven by a pair of supporting wheels at the ends of said nozzle, the principal object of the invention being to provide a new and improved mounting means which enables the brush to be vertically adjusted to any desired extent and also permits easy'removal of said brush from the nozzle when desired.

With the foregoing in view, theinventi-on resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a partial bottom plan view of a suction nozzle provided with the improved brush mounting means.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view as indicated by line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view cut in a plane parallel with but spaced from the plane on which Fig. 2 is cut.

Figures 4 and,5 are respectively a sideelevation andan edge view of one vof the bearing arms which support the brush.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates a horizontally elongated suction nozzle provided with a rearwardly projecting neck 2 and formed with rearward extensions 3 at its ends, in which rubber tired supporting wheels 4 are mounted upon appropriatel axles 5.- j

Extending longitudinally within the nozzle 1, is a brush 6; having friction wheels 7 at its ends contacting with the rubber tires of the wheels 4, s0 that these wheels rotate the brush as the cleaner is moved over the floor. The ends of the brush are provided with trunnions 8 which are rotatably supported in a manner hereinafter described.

Extending longitudinally` in the suction nozzle 1, above the brush 6, is a metal strip 9 `whose front and rear edgeportions are preferably stamped to give them an arched formation 10, so as to effectively reinforce the strip against bending. The ends of this strip are bent vertically downward as indicated at 11 and these downturned strip ends are provided with integral, rearwardly projecting arms 12 whose free ends are pivotally supported by the axles 5. Vertical bearing arms 13, preferably formed of cornpressed bre, aredisposed at the inner sides of the downturned strip ends 11, the upper en ds of said arms 13 being connected with said strip ends, by appropriate pivots 14, while the lower ends, of said arms 13 are formed with rearwardly facing notches 16 which rotatably 1 receive the trunnions 8. The side portions of the arms 13, adjacent the strip ends 11, are cut away as at 17, near the upper ends of said arms, leaving oblique shoulders 18 at the lower end-s of the cut away portions andexposin'g parts of the pivots 14 at these cut away portions. Coiled around 'these exposed parts of the pivots 14,

are Vwire springs 19 having lateral ends 20 and 21 respectively which engage the strip 9 and the arms 13. The arms 20 may either contact with the shoulders 18 or' may have their terminals laterally directed and hooked around the front edges of the arms 13.

The springs 19 exert a constant rearward force on the arms -13, to hold the friction wheels 7 of the brush 6 against the rubber tires of the supporting wheels 4, and if these tires pickl up any foreign matter from the `floor, the arms 13 and the brush may readily yield forwardly to allow such foreign matter to pass without interfering with rotation of the brush or the supporting wheels.l

Moreover, when the arms 13 are forwardly swung to the desired extent, the entire brush may be removed from the nozzle. Then, to prevent excessive movement of the arms 13 under the iniuence of the springs 19, I provide stops 22 which are-preferably stamped inwardly from lthe downturned ends 11 of the strip 9, said stops being dispose-d opposite the notched edges of the arms 13.

Secured by rivets or the like 23 to the central portion of the strip 9, is a curved spring arm 24 whoseA lower end is provided with a detent 25 'and with a linger-piece 26, said detent being co-operable with vertically `spaced teeth 27 formed on theinner side of ,the front wall, ofthe nozzle 1.` By swinging the arm 24 rearwardly, by means of the finger-piece 26, the entire brush mounting means may-be vertically swung to adjust the brush to any desired position, so that it will exert the desired pressure upon rugs or the like, or will entirely clear them, as4 occasion may demand. AMoreover, by releasing the detent 25 from the teeth 27 and pulling downwardly upon the finger-piece 26, the brush mounting means is downwardlyswung out of thenozzle about the axles 5 as pivots. Then, it is an easy matterV to swing 'the arms 13 out of engagement With the trunnions 8, permitting the brush to be readily removed. After removal of this brush and release of the arms 13, the stops 22 function to prevent said arms from moving excessively under the influence of the springs 19,

so thatno difficulties Will be encountered when vvit'is desired to reengage the brush with the supportin means.

It Will be seen rom the foregoing that I have provided an exceptionally simple and inexpensive, yet a very desirable means for adjustabl mounting the brush in the suction nozzie, and as excellent results are obtainable from the details disclosed, they are preferablyl followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, modifica-V tions may be made.

In conclusion, it may be added that while Fig. l discloses only onel end portion-of the suction nozzle and associated parts, the construction relating to the other end thereof is pivotally supported co-axially with said wheels, a curved spring arm secured to said strip and disposed at one side of the nozzle, the free end of said spring arm having a detent and a nger piece, and vertically spaced teeth on said one side of the nozzle co-operable with said detent in holding the strip and brush in different adjusted positions.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a horizontally elongated suction nozzle having supporting wheels at its ends, a brush extending longitudinally in said nozzle and driven by said Wheels, a. metal strip extending longitudinal- 1y in the nozzle over said brush and having integral downturned ends, arms integral with and projecting horizontally from'said downturned strip ends, said arms being pivotallj7 supported co-axially With said Wheels, vertically disposed bearing arms having hearing notches near their lower ends facing said wheels and removably receiving the ends of the brush, pivots connecting the upper ends of said' hearing arms to the inner sides of said downturned strip ends, springs coiled around'said pivots and having ends engaged with the metal strip and the bearing arms-respectively to hold the brush in driving engagement With the aforesaid Wheels, and means for holding t-he aforesaid strip in ldifferent vertically adjusted positionsin the nozzle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. l

VALTER L. KEEFER. 

